A man from Chertsey has been jailed for the second time in a year and banned from driving for EIGHT years after a second drink-drive matter in less than 12 months.

Joseph Stevens, 44, of Fordwater Road, was stopped in his road by an officer from Surrey Police's roads policing unit on Sunday (August 16) at around 1.15am after an officer noticed his car was missing a front registration plate.

Stevens was arrested at the roadside but later refused to provide a breath specimen when in custody.

He appeared at Redhill Magistrates' Court the following day (August 17) where he pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen and driving while disqualified.

There, he was jailed for 20 weeks and banned for a total of eight years. He was also ordered to pay a criminal courts charge of £150, and a victim surcharge of £80.

It comes less than a year after Stevens was on September 19, 2014, reported drunk by a member of the public filling up his car at a petrol station in Town Lane in Staines.

He appeared at North Surrey Magistrates' Court on May 6 this year after failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis where he was sent to prison for 16 weeks and disqualified from driving for five years.

Sergeant Dave Vale from Surrey Police's roads policing unit said: "Joseph Stevens is a serial offender who has shown a disgraceful disregard for the law by committing these two offences in such a short space of time.

"Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts not only yourself at risk but other road users too.

"We are committed to making the roads a safer place and I would encourage the public to help us by reporting anyone you suspect of drink driving.”